As I sat in the Montana House District 3 candidate forum at Discovery Square listening to candidates talk about jobs, the economy, taxes, education, roads and on rare occasion, things that only politicians seem to care about, they reinforced what I’ve said previously about the role of government (and the people) when it comes to […]

Two weeks ago, I attended a session of the Whitefish/Flathead County interlocal agreement negotiations. Someone should have brought doughnuts, or at least popcorn. It appears that Flathead County will have 12 months to review the 65 land-use ordinances imposed upon the doughnut (and the city itself) since 2005 when the interlocal was implemented, and request […]

Dave Skinner’s article concerning a potential national monument in eastern Montana (Sept. 15 Beacon: “Brainstorming Rural Cleansing”) implies that full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is a vast government conspiracy to take over private land. I read Skinner’s article while flying to D.C. to ask our congressional delegation to support full […]

Outside of Montana, it has become increasingly common for political candidates to ignore the press and snub editorial boards. And more of them are finding out that there are fewer consequences for instituting a media blackout and “talking directly to the people.” White House correspondent Peter A. Brown wrote a recent column for the Wall […]

The Flathead lake trout gill netting proposal should be thwarted (Sept. 15 Beacon: “Is Gill Netting the Answer?”). While certainly bull trout numbers or survival will increase as lake trout numbers decrease, the goal of re-establishing a fishable bull trout population in Flathead Lake is most unlikely. Clearly, lake trout have the ecological advantage in […]

Thursday night at Discovery Square in Columbia Falls, three HD3 candidates met to discuss the issues in a candidate’s forum organized by Columbia Falls’ First Best Place task force. Independent Shawn Guymon and Democrat Zac Perry sat down with incumbent Republican Jerry O’Neil to take questions from the crowd and moderator (and CFHS’ 10 time […]

On July 27, Sen. Max Baucus announced that he was introducing an amendment to our United States Constitution. We should all be very proud and appreciative that our senator does not try and circumvent the Constitution when he sees a problem. Baucus is setting a great example by working within the established procedures when he […]

One of the difficult things about entrepreneurs is maintaining focus. Most entrepreneurs are interested in many things, so the BSO (bright shiny object) threatens to pull them away from their core mission because that other thing would be soooo interesting to work on. Still others wonder what their core mission is. Just this morning I […]

In 2008 the state of Montana conducted a Facility Condition Assessment for schools across the state. Each building was rated in 11 building system categories, like the foundations, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and safety. The inspection teams also looked at energy use and technology infrastructure. Inspectors were trained together so that variations in assessment between them […]

We have almost unlimited access to information yet, politically speaking, much of it is meaningless. Voters still know little about their elected officials’ views – especially on the federal level. Meanwhile, candidates have mastered the art of sidestepping questions and dithering on demand. It is perhaps easier for them. Providing “yes” or “no” answers can […]

I was extremely disappointed in Dave Skinner’s coverage of Montana’s Renewable Energy Standard (Sept. 1 Beacon: “Power Tripping”). Montana’s 15 percent by 2015 RES is spurring the development of clean renewable power in Montana and that’s good for Montana’s economy. Wind development generates local tax revenue, supports family farms and ranches, and helps protect our […]

Montana is making national headlines lately, and for a very proud reason: We are one of only two states in America operating without a deficit. The state of Montana has balanced its checkbook five years in a row with no tax increases, no cuts to education or other essential services, and with $327 million in […]

People I read, work with, overhear, listen to, casually encounter (etc) seem to fall into roughly three camps regarding the current economy’s job situation: The President (Governor, Mayor, City, County, State, whatever) should give me a job or create one for me. The President (etc) should stay out of it and let natural market forces […]

Bureau of Land Management director Robert Abbey will be visiting Malta on Thursday, Sept. 17. The idea of a 2.5 million-acre, $30- to $300-million “Buffalo Commons” national monument (a proposal that became public knowledge only when part of a secret Department of Interior memo leaked in February) has the natives a little restless. Abbey has […]

Just when you think the Democrats cannot sink any lower playing the race card, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says, “I don’t know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican.” Coincidently Reid’s son is running for governor of Nevada against a Republican of Hispanic heritage. In fact, in the upcoming election the Republicans […]